trip

trip [trip]

vi.

tripped, tripping [ME trippen < OFr treper < Gmc * trippon (> OE treppan, to step): see TRAP¹]

1. to walk, run, or dance with light, rapid steps; skip; caper

2. to stumble, esp. by catching the foot

3. to make a false step, inaccuracy, or mistake; err

4. to falter in speaking

5. to run past the pallet of the escapement without catching: said of a tooth of the escapement wheel of a watch

6. Rare to take a trip; journey

☆ 7. Slang to experience a TRIP (n. 6)

vt.

1. to make stumble, esp. by catching the foot: sometimes with up

2.

a) to cause to make a false step or mistake

b) to cause to fail or stop; obstruct

3. to catch (a person) in a lie, error, etc.: often with up

4.

a) to release (a spring, wheel, or other mechanical part), as by the action of a detent

b) to start or operate (a mechanism) by this

5. Now Rare to perform (a dance) lightly and nimbly

6. Naut.

a) to raise (an anchor) clear of the bottom

b) to tilt (a yard) into position for lowering

c) to raise (an upper mast) so that the fid may be removed before lowering

n.

1. a light, quick tread

2.

a) a traveling from one place to another; journey, esp. a short one; excursion, jaunt, etc.

b) a going to a place and returning [made three trips to the kitchen]

3.

a) a stumble

b) a maneuver for causing someone to stumble or fall, as by catching the foot

4. a mistake; blunder

5.

a) any mechanical contrivance for tripping a part, as a pawl

b) its action

☆ 6. Slang

a) an experience or period of euphoria, hallucinations, etc. induced by a psychedelic drug, esp. LSD

b) an experience that is pleasing, exciting, unusual, etc.

c) any activity, mode of conduct, state of mind, etc. [a spiritual trip]

——————

trip the light fantastic

to dance

SYN.- TRIP strictly implies a relatively short course of travel, although it is also commonly used as an equivalent for JOURNEY [a vacation trip]; JOURNEY, a more formal word, generally implies travel of some length, usually over land [the journey was filled with hardships ]; VOYAGE, in current use, implies a relatively long journey by water [a voyage across the Atlantic ]; JAUNT is applied to a short, casual trip taken for pleasure or recreation [a jaunt to the city ]; EXPEDITION is applied to a journey, march, etc. taken by an organized group for some definite purpose [a military expedition, a zoological expedition to Africa ]